Chairman of the Association of Business Women of Uzbekistan «Tadbirkor Ayol” – «Financial inclusion and gender issues. Uzbekistan’s experience»

Since 2011, the chairman of Association of Business Women of Uzbekistan. Under her leadership, the association has become a powerful organization to support women entrepreneurs in the country.

Together with local and international organizations, she has carried out dozens of projects aimed at expanding and protecting the economic, social rights of women, supporting their entrepreneurial and social initiatives, and helping to ensure the use of financial and information resources.

Nowadays, the association has grown into a large network with over 16 thousand women entrepreneurs. Branches of the association were created in 14 regions, 68 cities and regions of the republic of Uzbekistan.

CJSC «Tavhidbank» – «Mechanisms of transformation and implementation of the principles of Islamic finance»”

Khurshed Mirakilov active in Islamic banking development process since 2009. Starting from education and study along with the National bank of Tajikistan by support of German International Organization (GIZ). Eexperienced as a banking consultant within different credit organisations, worked as a Head of economic and financial department of the Association of Banks of Tajikistan (ABT) and as an Executive director of the Association of microfinance organizations of Tajikistan (AMFOT). Was involved as a member of working groups on macro level (State bodies, ABT, AMFOT and NBT) As a National Coordinator at German International Organization (GIZ) experienced to develop microfinance Regional Programme in Central Asia region, Financial Sector development, banking Research and Study, trade development issues within different local and international organizations. In this capacity, he was active in Studies on Islamic Finance and marketing research including development legal and normative acts within working groups of the National Bank of Tajikistan. Khurshed led the GIZ’s Regional Programme in Central Asia region for integration and development of new alternative financial product such as an Islamic Finance.

Prior to his appointment to the Credit organizations and industry Associations, Khurshed start his practice consultation with within Islamic banking window in September 2017, then was involved to the Sohibkorbank to assist the Bank within converting to Islamic bank (full-fledge), was chosen by Supervisory Board as a member of Committee of Islamic Financial Services of the Bank.

He cooperated within the regional network development in Central Asia and Tajikistan financial sectors that assisted introduction of Islamic finance in Tajikistan by close cooperation of the National Bank of Tajikistan, National Bank of Kirgiz Republic, Eco Islamic Bank (commercial bank) as well as with Bank Negara (Central bank of Malaysia) and Islamic Financial Services Board (IFSB -Malaysia). By his initiative (within the GIZ regional project) National Bank of Tajikistan in April 2010 became first observe member of the IFSB among GIS countries.

Sociologist, Member of the Board of Directors of Zerkalo-Analytics Group and Open Society Institute Assistance Foundation – Tajikistan

G. Beknazarova is a member of the gender working group under the Committee on Women and Family Affairs under the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan. From 2013 to 2018 was the director of Z-Analytics. From 2008 to 2013 led the Research Department at the Center for Sociological Research “Zerkalo”.

From 2007 to 2016 she was a leading researcher in the Department of Sociology of the Institute of Philosophy, Political Science and Law named after A. Bakhovatdinov of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Tajikistan. From 2006 to 2011 she taught at the Department of Sociology, Tajik National University.

She graduated from the Tajik National University (1994), got a master’s degree from the European Humanities University (2003), with a degree in social philosophy (2007). Research interests: gender, migration, management.

Head of Islamic Banking Department, National Bank of Tajikistan – «The state of the issue of introducing the principles of Islamic banking in Tajikistan»

Project Manager, MFC (Poland) – “Overview of mapping financial technology. The experience of Ukraine, Turkey and Poland

Since September 2011, Kinga Dabrowska works at the MFC and is currently serving as its Projects Manager, Responsible Finance. She is managing projects related to social performance management, financial education, capacity building. She is Smart certified assessor and a trainer. She has conducted trainings on housing microfinance, energy efficiency, client protection, financial education. She has been also involved in field research related to start-up business and recently on fintech sector. Before joining the MFC in 2011, she worked in Technical Secretariat – Cross Boarder Cooperation Program: Poland-Belarus-Ukraine, Poland where she was responsible for preparation of evaluation system for call for proposals, developing training modules for potential applicant. Prior to that she worked for development foundations in the areas of corporate social responsibility (CSR), development assistance.

Kinga holds a Master’s degree in sociology from the Warsaw University.

IFC Consultant, St. Petersburg, Russia – «Financial technologies and financial inclusion: trends and perspectives. Focus of Tajikistan» – «Financial technologies: special financial products for micro and small businesses, IT solutions and innovative practices»

Shust Pavel Mikhailovich, candidate of political sciences, in 2011 he graduated from St. Petersburg State University, faculty of international relations, in 2014 – graduate school of the same faculty. Trained in the Department of Pan-European Cooperation and the Nordic Countries of the Office for the Coordination of Foreign Economic Relations and Regional Cooperation of the Committee on External Relations of St. Petersburg, in the European Union Division of the Department of Pan-European Cooperation of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

He currently holds the position of Executive Director at the Association of Electronic Money and Money Transfer Market Participants, Deputy Scientific Director of the Central Scientific and Technical Center “Distributed Register Technologies of St. Petersburg State University”, Senior Lecturer of St. Petersburg State University of Economics and Economics, is a consultant to the World Bank. Member of the Advisory Board of the Interdepartmental AML / CFT Commission; Advisory Council on financial accessibility at the Bank of Russia.

He advises employees of the World Bank, Bank of Russia, Rosfinmonitoring, regulatory authorities of Kazakhstan, the Republic of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, Mexico, Malaysia, Brunei and Thailand, the Eurasian Group on Combating Money Laundering and the Financing of Terrorism, ITMCFM, RANEPA, the Alliance for Financial Accessibility, on issues of development of financial legislation, innovation and improving financial accessibility.

Pavel is the author of more than 50 research publications, as well as a regular speaker at regional and international events on financial regulation, payment innovations and financial technologies.

Senior Financial Sector Specialist, IFC – “Financial Inclusion: Current Status and Development Prospects”

Ms. Sakshi Varma is Senior Financial Sector Specialist in the Finance, Competitiveness and Innovation Global Practice, World Bank Group. She has been with WBG for 8 years. Sakshi has over 17 years of experience and her focus areas are financial inclusion, microfinance, SME finance credit infrastructure and sustainable energy finance. Prior to joining IFC, she worked as Vice President, Microfinance, at HSBC and was involved in product development /implementation in the area of financial inclusion, mobile banking solutions, credit plus products for MFIs and clean energy finance. Before HSBC, Sakshi worked at Lok Capital (a venture capital fund for microfinance and financial inclusion) and was responsible for all aspects of the investment process and deal management. Sakshi started her career with EDA Rural Systems where she conducted research projects and ratings across South and South East Asia.

KMF, Deputy Chairman of the Board, Kazakhstan – «The role of remote services in improving financial accessibility: Kazmicrofinance experience»

Gulshat has been working at KMF since 1998, she began as a chief accountant of the company. Prior to joining the company, she worked in the regional department of the National Bank. After a year of work at KMF, she was directed the director of the company’s first South Kazakhstan branch. Since 2008, she has been the Deputy Chairman of the Management Board for operational development. She supervised the issues of regional development, support of the branch network, credit administration, financial planning, as well as the legal unit and work with problem loans. Previously, the company held the positions of Director of the Credit Department, Operations Director, Director of Branches in two regions of Kazakhstan. The total experience in the banking sector is more than 25 years, including experience in microfinance.

Currently oversees credit, operational and financial risks in the company.

She has higher economic education, has a number of international certificates in the field of management and finance.

, Project Manager at IFC

Nargis Podchoeva is a Financial Sector Specialist with over 15 years of experience with banking and micro-finance organizations in various countries, including Haiti, Afghanistan, Kosovo and the USA. In her current position, Nargis works closely with public and private partners, providing technical support for the development of a solid credit information system, secured transactions reforms and enhancement of lending practices. In Tajikistan, along with other projects, Nargis coordinates the work of EDFS Project aimed at fostering the financial inclusion of the population into the formal financial systems through the establishment of effective electronic and digital financial services.

International Expert, Financial Inclusion and Development», Founder, Chairperson of NABWT

Over 25 years of professional experience in community mobilization and social development work, with a focus on young people, poverty reduction, and women’s empowerment. Founder, CEO, and later Board Chair of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BUSINESS WOMEN OF TAJIKISTAN, one of the first non-profit membership organizations in Tajikistan, uniting more than 3500 women entrepreneurs.

Over 20 years of practical experience in capacity-building for financial institutions and SMEs, in areas such as strategic and business planning, sales and marketing, risk management and internal control, stakeholder engagement, internal audit, compliance and corporate governance.

As a co-founder and interim First Deputy CEO, and later CEO, of IMON International, spearheaded the establishment and development of institutional infrastructure, built up company network from a single office to 110 service points, including 27 branch offices, with 2000 professional and dedicated staff. Gulbakhor Makhkamova is one of the most influential women leaders in Tajikistan, with an academic degree in gender studies, winner of numerous national and international awards and recognitions.

AMFI, Executive Director, Kyrgyzstan – «Responsible financing: Experience of  Kyrgyzstan»

Alisher Akbaraliev, with 20 years of experience in the microfinance sector, today represents the Association of Microfinance Organizations in the Kyrgyz Republic. The Association of Microfinance Organizations, which brings together 26 leading companies in Kyrgyzstan in the microfinance sector, is an advanced institution where new technologies, successful business projects, synergy experience are implemented and new trends in the development of micro and small businesses are formed. Being a member of the Board of Directors of the MFC (Poland), having more than 10 years of experience in management, consulting, training, as well as being a permanent member of national working groups, Alisher Akbaraliev has been actively integrating successful international experience into national programs of the microfinance sector for the last 5 years.

Director, Research Institute, National Bank of Tajikistan

Deputy Chairperson of the National Bank of the Republic of Tajikistan

Economist, Office of the Permanent Representative of the IMF in Tajikistan

Regional Principal Manager EBRD and Daniela Wendhous, Consultant EBRD – «EBRD project «Women in Business» in Tajikistan. Achievements and problems»

Micro-loan fund «Imon» – «From classic lending to Islamic banking»

Chairman of the Council of Women Entrepreneurs under the Committee on Women’s Affairs of the RT – «The role of state bodies in matters of women’s financial involvement»

Deputy Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia «UN –Women» – «Improving women’s access to financial resources is one of the ways to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Analysis of the situation and world practice»

Head of Marketing department of JSC «Bank Eskhata» – «The new credit products of the bank for women entrepreneurs»

Regional Principal Manager EBRD and Daniela Wendhous, Consultant EBRD – «EBRD project «Women in Business» in Tajikistan. Achievements and problems»

Director of Development, MDO «Humo» – «Innovations and their role in increasing financial availability»

Director of the Payment Cards Department, CJSC «Spitamenbank» – «Special financial products for SMEs based on the payment service «Spitamen-Pay»

Director of Payment Systems Department, National Bank of Tajikistan – “The regulatory environment and its role in the development of new banking technologies and increasing the volume of non-cash payments”

IFC Consultant – «Financial technologies: special financial products for micro and small businesses, IT solutions and innovative practices»

OJSC «Guarantee Fund», Chairman of the Board, Kyrgyzstan – «Loan guarantee funds- the key to joint success of business and lending institutions»

Regional Project Development Manager, ACTED Kyrgyzstan / Uzbekistan / Tajikistan – «Cooperation of financial institutions and SMEs in the framework of ACTED Projects»

MCO “Madina va Hamkoron”, Deputy Director, GBAO – «Ways to solve the problems of the activities of  credit unions in GBAO».

Academician of the Academy of Sciences of the RT, Director of the Institute of Economics of the Academy of Sciences of the – RT «The role of public-private partnerships in expanding access to financing»

Director of Business Development, LLC MDO «Arvand» – “A course on trust: improving the quality of customer service and improving relationships with them”

Head of corporate direction, JSC MDO «Alif-Sarmoya» – «Culture, people and technology– as factors for increasing financial inclusion»

Leading bank consultant, EBRD Project «Regional Program for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses in Central Asia» – «The role of training and raising the level of skills of personnel of credit institutions in improving the availability of financial services»

Deputy Chairman, Mr. Konstantin Khamidov, Director of Financial Department, OJSC «Oriyonbank» – «Development and improvement of new products for corporate clients. Achievements and problems»

Executive Director, AMFOT

«The main problems of financial inclusion in the mountainous regions of Tajikistan: The results of the survey and the results of the round tables held in the regions of the country»

Deputy Head of the Consumer Protection and Financial Services, National Bank of Tajikistan – «Consumer protection and financial literacy – key tools for expanding access to finance»

Deputy Chairperson of the State Committee on Investments and State Property Management

Project Director, GIZ «TRIGGER»

Resident Representative of UNDP

European Union Charge d’Affaires a.i.,